Airship.



W'. 0. BURST.

' AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.1,1Q09,

Patent-ea may 3o, 1911 a SHBBTS-SHBBT 1.

s, sumar-SHEET s.

Patented May 30, 19x11.

APPLICATION FILED DE()` l,1909Y certain ew and useful Improvements in Air- WILLIAM CHARLES Hunsnor NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIRSHIP.

'applicati-@nana iieember 1, i909. seriaiNb. 530,716.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, VILLiAM CHARLES HURs'r, a citizen of the United States, residing -.at New York city, in the count-y of New York and 'State of New York', have invented ships, o which the following is a full, clear, andexact specification. y

.This invention relates to air-ships, and relates more particularly. to 'air-ships of the4 type known as heavier than airf, in which one or more aeroplanes are employed.l

I am aware that prior to my invention, flying machines have been proposed in which oneor more aeroplanes are flexed` for a small portion at or near the ends of said aerolanes, the mainvportion of said aeroplanes iieing f intended to be substantially nonfleXed; lhowever, in view of the 'materials, usually wood for the -framework and fa ric for the planes, the main portions of the aeroplanes do not operate under conditions of .f liUht as ri id lanes thus 'ivin rise to condrtions of greatA uncertainty in flying in such. prior devices, and causing unnecessarily great hazard in aeronavigating.-

According to this invention, my iiyingma! chine, whether of the soaring or of the selfpropelled type, is provided with one or more aeroplanesw4 having at least one aeroplane disposed proximate to the end of the iiying Vmachine, the face vof said aeroplane or aeroplanes beingr of less'width at the end thereof more nearly to thev end of the iying machine than at the opposite end thereof.

The aeroplanes of lmy d-eviceai'e constructedof suitable material which is substantially rigid under all normal conditions of aero- 'navigating or soaring, the material being of appropriate lightness; I prefer to construct 4the one or more ae'roplan'es of my deviceof aluminum, oraluminumlalloys, or the like.

An essential feature of myginventionis,

that I provide means for moving one` or more aeroplanes relativelto the framework of my flying machine, whereby the weight of the machine, and passenger or passengers, is sustained b'yihe reactions resulting when the machine is moved through the air either by the application of mechanical power or hytheY utilization of the force of gravity;

furthermore, it is the object of "this invention to provide means for maintaining tne aeroplanes of mydevce rigidly iafany p o-` vention wil lsition to 4 which said aeroplaneImay, be

moved.

Another feature of. this invention-isthat 'eciacation ofitters Patent. f I-mented May`3(),1911.` i

the rudder'or other guiding devicenecessary in cooperation with my lmovable aeropl nes for directing the fiying machine vertically or horizontally is of much less length and weight than heretofore employed.

' Itwill be understood that my .invention contemplates constructing ,all the various parts of my flying machine so as to combine lightness, strength, convenience of construction, and facility of operati'on.

. Other ob'ects 4and advantages of my inbemore fully understood from the following description and vthe accompanying drawings, in whichiFigure 1 is a .perspective view of a flying i machine embodying my invention, illus'- trated, however, merely diagrammatically,

, the .driving,controlling'. and. operating parts lhaving been largely oinitted'for the purpose I of presenting a clearer illustration; Fig. 2*

is a planbf the d evice shown in Fig. 1, illusi trating in addition the engine, and means for operating the several sets of aeroplanes independently of each other; Fig. -3 is a front elevation of the device shown in Fig.. 1

2; Fig. 11 is an end view of the device shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is -a detail view of the operating and controlling levers and mechanism `whereby each set of aeroplanes may :be independently or simultaneously moved as may be desired bythe operator; 4this ligure also shows certain parts of my automatically'opening parachute; Fig. (i is a detail vievon the line X-X of Fig. 5, showing onelever for operating the aeroplanes, and means for retaining the'lever rigidlyin any desired position; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the means for causing the parachute to be set automatically inposition. y A

Referring now to Fig. l, the support of vmy device is constituted of an open framework comprising essentially vertical rods 1,' Q, 3 and 4, positioned in the front thereof, and vertical rods 5, 6, 7, and 8, positionedin the rear thereof; .said rods beingl joined at the top by vhorizontal rods 9, 10, 11. and 12,

f posed in the middle of mydevice, and is 14, respectively, for the purpose of giving.

greater vstre'ngifh'and also for the support of other parts. In" apractical Aembodiment. my invention the 'framework-comprising te rods referred to 'above,^ will be suitably4 braced to withstandstrains in all planes'by'.

' Lmeans of anumber of cross rodsi or ropes,v

and other braces, .as will bev readily understood. The'platform 19, for sup orti/ng the operator and passengers, is. pre .erablfy'.'ilis l.-usuall vmade of wood or other vegetable material of suitable likeness and strength, and supported on the horizontal side rods 20,21, and the 'front and rear'rods 22 and 23.

When my'fiying machine is constructed of4 the .type as ,shown vin Fig. 1, 'the machine` comprises eight aeroplanes, 25,- 26, 27 and28,

'I and 29', 30, B1 and 32, the first four, namely,

- the remaining-aeroplanes 29, 30,31 and 32 2-5 to 28 inclusive, constituting one `set and disposed on the right of the platform 19, and

' 'constituting the 'second set andl disposed .to

the left of s'aidplatform 19". In general the .form of the individual .aeroplanes is such .l that l'the width of the lf'ace pf the same at one endv is less than. at the opposite end, and

A as a specific example I have illustrated the individualaeroplan'es as of a form 4having a substantially triangular face. It Will be understood, however, that the form of the face of the individual aeroplanes need not necessarily terminate in an apex, but may be' of any Width less than the Width of the opposite end of the face. The aeroplanes may be constructed vof sheet aluminum, aluminum 'to the framework of the machine.

alloys, or thev like, and may be further strengthened at the edges-by rods 33 of similar material. Y A IVarious means for moving the aerOp-lanes of my device, and means for maintaining the aeroplanes in any desired position, may beemployed as shown' in Fig. 2, andin greater detail in Fig. 5, my ae'roplanes mayV be mounted on shafts and moved to a desired position :by'rotating such shafts. I have shown the shafts as fixed tothe aeroplanes. on an axis of symmetry Aofthe same; however, it Will bef'obvious that any vaeroplane of my device .need not beof symmetrical4 contour, and the shaft may be xed' to anyA aeroplane of any shapefin any suitable re lation to the contour of said aeroplanef.;l I

` Referring v-to Fig. 2, the aeroplane is mounted on the shaft 34, said shaft 34 being` journaled in ball-bearings at itsfouter end, and passingthrougha ball-bearing xed aeroplane -26 is mounted in a similar manner on a similar shaft'35. Oneach of shafts 34.

and 35 I dispose a sprocket 38 meshing with -a chain 39. Aero lanes. 27 and 28 maybe mounted on the s aft-s 36-and 37, respectively, said shafts 36 and.37 being-'similar toshafts 34and 35; or, as shown in Fig. 5, the

The

i aeroplane 27 may be provided straps-to permit the same to be moved' about therod .36, said aeroplane 27 being iix'ed 'tofastud 15,*l rigidly connected' tothe sprocket 38,1

,provided (for- A suitable ball-bearings .being journaling the stud 1 5. 'I e aerop1ane728 moav be mounted to 'ermit rotation about `the r 37, Sd aerop ane ..2 8'be`ing xed'tol'a' #stud 15,'conne'cted to a sv rocket 38.v The chain 39 passes about the our sprockets 38,A for-the .purpose of lsimultaneously .movin the aeroplane's and` for i'naintain'ing sai aeroplanes in 'any'- desired position. The

aeroplanes 29 and r3 0, are mounted 'in a simi-` f lThe 131 and 32 being .fixed to a stud on sprockets 45 mounted t0 turn about the rods 42 and 43,-

respectively, a `chain'46- meshing with said four sprockets 45. The lever 56 is fixed to la shaft of onel set, say shaft 34. of the right hand set, and. a similar lever 5 7 is connected toashaft ofthe other set, say'shaft 40. I prefer to provide additional-co-acting means `for insuring 'the aeroplanes-of one set to be.

simultaneously moved and maintained in position, such furthei` means being described in greater detail in a'` later portion. of this specification-. lIn order to provide further Vbearing supports, and forI preventing' lateral vmovement of the 4aeroplane shafts, and at the saine time. to permit the shaftsv of the different sets ofaeroplanes to be independ- '1'05 ent-ly moved, a differential 47 is connected between the corresponding shafts, as lshafts 34 and 40, shafts 35 and-41. It-Will'be un- .Q del-stood .that when each aeroplane of each.

set'is lfixed to a shaft,.. a differential` similar to the diiferential 47 will be required\be tween each/pair of corresponding shafts.

The di1fere'ntial47 is llustrated,specifically, of the type embodying four inter-meshing beveled gears, the 'gear 48 `.being fixed to thelshaft 40,fthe gear 49 being fixed to the shaftv 34, theintermediate smaller gears 50, 51

meshing With gears48 land 49, preferably at .ldiametrically,- opposite points; the gears 50,

51 4'aref.suitably'amounted on studs journal'ed 1n the diiferiential casing 52,v suitable ballbearings, orv other anti-friction lmeans being 'disposed j between the'colla'rs of said casing 5' 2 and the shafts 34 and 40, respectively.A

However, any other suitable type of diiferem' beeniployed to effect the desired. As one means for simultaneously tial may results.

Voperating the leversv56 and 57 when so desired by the. op`erator,-.Iv provide one ofv ih'e ope1'ating,lei-'ers, say the lever 56 .I with an arm53 hinged thereto, saidarm 53- having a catch 54 cooperating with the locking iheans- 58 disposed onthe other lever 5T.

Iliave referred labove to additional co-aetany one set such means may comprise a pluralit-y of substantially'vertical links- 60, connecting an'aeroplane with the other aeroplane .oit the same set and inthe same verti-` cal'-pl ane,fas aeroplanes 25 and 27, aeroplanesQ and 28, aeroplanes 29 and 31,' and nected by ,means ot' a rocker'arin (S-jour- ".nalled on the rods 15 and 1G.

Any suitable means for detachably retaining the levers and 57 in a desired. position may be provided, asfor example, a segment lTO-having notches cooperating With teeth on the levers 56, 57, said segment 70 being fixed to the framework of the? machine, as py positioning, bolting or screvving the ne tothe platform' 19.` I prefer to'` pro-,

-vide each segment TQ With a loop 71 to' prerent any accidental 'displacement of the operating lever beyond the" limits of the segment 70. It will be obvious thatin the. event it' is desired to operate the levers 56,.

'57 by means of the feet of the operator instead of manual manipulation, such levers 56 and 57 will extend a .proper length in the yfront yogt the flying machine, and vsuitableseginental or other retainingineans positioned accordingly.

lVhen my flying, machine is propelled" by mechanicalpower, 1 provide propeller blades and one orinore. engines for driving said propeller blades; said engine or engines, and said propeller blades being' properly arranged on the platform 19. inthe l draivino's. l have shown tivoifo'ur-f linder ene. .rj 4 l h l glues 9b, 9d. dispo l :1 d on the i Jor19', the en'oine 96 driving the propeller blade 72, and the engine driving the propeller blade T3. 1 prefer to have the driving ineans of 'the i'lriving means of the' propeller 723. The

type of the engines. means for cooling the saine. and other features as to su'ppi'irting and :iirangrii ithe vsaine onv ,the flying ina--` chir-e vneed not be treated in detail here-as such tentures vfil .he readily understood by those skilled in the ai' The lliving machine is furtherprovided with -a rudder 75, ot any approved arrangement, as for example` comprisingl a vertical blade -f `i,"and a horizontal blade 7T. l'liave not illustrated ineans to` moving` the rudder 'i3 vabout an axis parallel to 'the bladcs'TG, for the reason ing means for 'insuring simultaneous operationV and positioning' 'of the aeroplanes ofv 'an anti-frictionbearing collar S7.

the propeller 72 independent olA .that I' have omitted details of this 'nature for the sake of presenting clearer illustrations.

ai will be understood thatthe relative -ii'eiglits of the parts ot my living machine and the positioning of the saine, should be properly chosen to cause a substantial bal# ance ofthe machine when in flight.

i prefer to 'equip iny flying machine with parachutes, preferably of the type Which are automatically set in position rl`lie parachute device illustrated generally in Figs.` l and 2, and more specifically in certain details thereof in Figs. 5 and 7, comprises essentially tivo sheets -of suitable Atabric vwhichiiorinalljv'are Wound on rods or rollrsY inclosed in suitable casings, as 'casings so, si,

in Figs. 2 and T Ais shoivn one arfv l l y ,Y l. rangement o;t the casings-O, $1, the rollers being mounted oirstiids journaled in thebearings 85 of the plateSf. said plate {4G-bei ing supported on the shaftl e0 by means Vof i' the free, ends ot the parachute sheets are-at-f' tached Wires 88,01? similar means, see Fi the other ends of said tvires S8 beingeon-f nected to the spring-Wound reels S9, dis'-` posed preferably adjaeent the extreni'e .upper left hand and right hand ends of the iiying machine. :I have not shoivn the reels ...Ldo

may be positioned iinniediatel,Y above thevrods i), and 12, respectively, or said rods 9' Y.

and'l reinovedand the reels S9 pnt inthcir place instead. Thenthe parachute sheets are ivound on their respective rods in' the casings '53), S1, suchmanipulation ivill be. carried outby doing Work'on the sprinesot the reels S9, For holding the parachute -in closed position, pins'QO are inserted in suitable openings 1n the. bearings. S5, and

ioo

through an opening in the stud ofthe roller4 of the parachutecurtain, registering iviih said openings in the bearing S5, thus pei'niit' ting the parachute curtains to vbe held in a closed position by the spring reels-Sil. $15. l'lien it ii; desired to open the parachute.

curtains, the pinslt), 00 may be pulled .out

by means y the reels 83.

of the openings inthe'bearinC ot' a chain or rope 91, whereby l bring the parachute sheets to an open posi'- tion. rl`liereels are'preferably provided ivith ratchets for maintaining the parachute' slieetsin`-open position; or iu substitution for such '-ratehets or in addition thereto. fixed lugs (sec Fig. niay be disposed ontlie upper Aends ot' the rods .1' and l coi'iperatingiwith openings or project ing hooks on the parachute sheets, y lt ii'ill thus tbe' seen thatI my vllyingfniachine is provided With a'plur'ality ot' sets ot'- acroplanes, eaehset being capable of' lie-ing moved to. and held in. any desired p osition independently of the remaining sets.

Referriiliz-5 F ig. 4, the solid lines denoting the-iaeroplanes25, 26,- 27 and 28, show the same in 'a horizontal position, and the dotted lines show the position assumed by said i aeroplanes whengnoved toa. torward downrward osition'; v

I'wlsh 1t to be understood thatf my iying 'machinebomprises more than two'sets of aeroplanes, and, that two or-more -aero lanes may be included i'n. each set. It 'w' also lbe clearthat my flying machinemay comof the flying machine, said fixed planes be- `ing preferablyl at or nearythe middle of the .1: machine, and two or'more sets of aeroplanes 1&5

of the nature described above maybe disposed at any suitable location proximate to "the ends of the machine.

It will be understood that wherever relai tive movement between the parts of my1 fly- 1ng machine takes place, ball-bearings, or

1. In a lying machine, the ,combination andl left-hand" lateral body portions, of propelling -means carried by said central body fportion, a group. of movable aeroplanes of gonon-flexible vmaterial "-supporte'd by i said :3'5 onevertically above another and parallel to one another, said aeroplanes havingfacesv whose width toward the central body portion-is greater than its width outwardly,4 and means for simultaneously moving the.

4"right-hand body portion-," agroup of movable aeroplanes ofI non-flexible' material supported by said left-hand body portion, the aeroplanes of each' of said groups being arranged 40 u per and lower aeroplanes of each group W 1le"maintaining parallelism ofthe same and independen-tly of the aeroplanes of the other group.

with a central body portionand right-hand Vand leafthand body port-ions, of propelling vmeans carried by said central body portion,

'c a group of movable aeroplanes of non-e'xible material supported by-said right-hand body' portion, a group of` movable aeroplanes of non-flexible material -supported by said'lefthand body portion, said aeroplanes having..

substantially triangularl faces, the aero.

v planes of each group being parallel to one nother and arranged in a pluralit ofhorilving the-aeroplanes of each gro'upi 1iile not the aeroplanes of the other group, and

means for simultaneously` operating said movable-means of both groups.

3.- Ina flying machine, the..combinationY prise planes which are fixed to the support' 2. In 4a flying machine, the combinationntal planes, means for vsimu t-aneously.

vin -presenceof two witnesses. maintaining parallelism and independently' negros" with a central body portion' and right-hand and left-hand body portions, of

a group `v *of f rotatable aeroplanes of noniexiblegmaterial supported by said right-` hand i'ortion, a group of rotatable aeroplane's'o' nonsile'xible material supported by saidlefthand body portion, the aero# ropelling4 means carried' by said cent-ral .bo y portion,

planes of. v said groups .having faces of greater width toward said central body portionv ascompared with the outward width of the same, said aeroplanes in leach group being arranged in pairs one vertically abovel anot er and parallel thereto, shafts 'secured to certain of said aeroplanes, and means for simultaneously rotating theshafts through equal vangles securedto the aeroplanes of one group and independently of the aeroplanes of the othergroup.

4. In va'flying machine, the combination with acentral body-portion,l .propelling means carried by the same', a right-hand body portion, a group of rotatable aeroplanes supported by'said rightshandybody 'ortion, a left-hand body portion, a group o rotatable aeroplanes supported by .said lefthandbody port-ion, the aeroplanes offsaid groupsbeing of non-fiexiblejmaterial and of'substantially triangular shape wit-,h theI apicesv disposed outwardly, means for rotating through equal `angles the aeroplanes of one group independent ofthe aeroplanes of the other group, said means comprising operatingl members disposed at distributed points on the faces of said aeroplanes.

5.' Ina lflying machine, a central V body portion, propelling means carried by, said central body portion, a right-hand body jportion, \a group, of aeroplanes supported by' body portion, a group of aeroplanessup-- ported by said left-hand body portion, said aeroplanes bein of non-flexible material andof 'substantially triangular shape with said right-hand body portion, a left-hand` the apices disposed outwardly, said aero-. planes of eachl group'being arranged parallel to one anotherand in a lurality-.ofhorizontal'pl'anes, and means or rotating said right-hand and said left-hand' groups of aeroplanes through equal angles while main.-

- taining parallelism either independently. of

each other `or atthesame time asdesired,

said means comprising apluralityof actuating elements secured at distributed points to the face of each aeroplane. l.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

. :wint-JAM 'CHARLES lvitnesses: HENRY J. Lucian," 

